BY CATHY DYSON
A group that wants to offer King George County staff affordable housing will have to wait until November--at least--to see if the supervisors approve the project.
The Board of Supervisors first heard the proposal from Catholics for Housing of Manassas in September. The group asked supervisors to rezone some commercial land near the Presidential Village subdivision on State Route 3 to residential so it can build 14 townhouses.
Last month, supervisors feared the proposal--to offer affordable homes to sheriff's deputies, fire and rescue workers and volunteers, teachers and county employees--might deviate from its original intent. If units weren't sold to the target population, they would be offered to anyone, and board Chairman Joe Grzeika worried it might turn into a money-making venture for the company.
He wanted the proposal's language clarified.
So the nonprofit group brought back its revised proffers this week. It extended its target population to include fire and rescue volunteers, as supervisors requested. It also made it clear that units that aren't sold to the target audience will be offered to other residents who earn King George's median income.
For a family with two workers, that's $76,900 a year, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
At Tuesday's meeting, supervisors brought up a new concern: the rezoning.
"Taking commercial property off the market is not a trivial thing to do, in my mind," said Supervisor Dale Sisson.
Supervisor Cedell Brooks, who doesn't like the idea of limiting the target audience to a specific group, wasn't sure the rezoning was beneficial, either.
"It doesn't really make good sense, in a way," Brooks said.
The supervisors agreed the idea is a good one, but aren't sure if the proposed location is the place to do it. They wanted more time to think about the matter, and will discuss it again in November.
Cathy Dyson: 540/374-5425
Email: cdyson@freelancestar.com